You are at a party. The house is crowded, full of people, and out of the 50 plus people there, you only know one other person.

Everyone around you is sweaty from dancing, drunk from drinking or high from an illegal drug. Your one friend that dragged you to this party is getting involved in illegal activity that you know is very dangerous. They pour you a glass and gesture the cup towards you, telling you to drink. You panic as they shove the cup closer and a crowd of older peers crowd around you chanting “Drink, drink, drink!” Your mind becomes fuzzy, and you start to sweat thinking about the outcomes. Then your friend leans over and places the glass in your hand while telling you one drink will not hurt. You take the glass, thinking one glass will not hurt, and you gulp it down.

It might not be a scenario like the one stated above, but as teens, we struggle with this issue of peer pressure. Peer pressure is an important topic because it is something that can affect the future life of a teenager.

Someone pressures teens everyday in a negative way. Most of the time it is a friend or even an older sibling that pressures that teenager. According to, Teens.lovetoknow.com, there are two main things that you can be pressured into doing, which includes: drug and alcohol use and sexual activity.

Drugs and alcohol are portrayed as very exciting and enjoyable substances. In reality, it is very dangerous and harmful. We are pressured by others to contribute to that lifestyle that is portrayed in the movies. The outcome of using those substances can lead to sickness or even death. According to The Canadian Lung Association, 70% of teens who smoke have friends who smoke or started smoking because of peer pressure. This means the majority of teens have consumed dangerous smoke due to close friends.

Hollywood movies portray sexual activity as an amazing, lovely thing. Teens should not be focused on that activity, and should save it for their adult life. Still, with that being said, people are pressured into this activity. According to a study from the Kaiser Family Foundation, 1/3 of teenage males feel pressure from their friends to have sex and 23% of females feel pressure from their friends to have sex. That is something that should not be forced. You may have friends that engage in that lifestyle, but it is perfectly fine to be different.

It is okay to be the oddball in a negative crowd of people. When you refuse to give in to peer pressure, you then are free from the possible guilt you would have held on your shoulders. If peer pressure is constantly around you, then change your surroundings and maybe even your friend group. It might look fun and sound amazing, but do not engage into a lifestyle you are not mentally and physically prepared for.